tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11333210905002010782024-03-06T12:01:55.802-08:00PLAY SCULPT LIVEA place for me and you to talk about our passion for polymer clay and all things created.Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-47046404305197917602019-01-01T07:02:00.002-08:002019-01-01T07:02:22.023-08:00Bonne Année! Happy New Year!It is today the first of 2019. My resolution is to blog more, aiming for once a month. As we all begin this new year I want to wish you all the best of love, friends and meaningful work. I won't wish for the happiness that comes in a bottle or the peace that appears on a facebook post. I instead wish you all the contentment from a right decision and a right action. I wish you peaceful sleep because you know you've done the best you could that day. For my part, I plan a bit more self-discovery and pray for the patience to accept what I find.<br />
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Aujourd'hui le jour de l'an, je résolue d'écrire un blog au moins une fois par mois. Puisque nous commençons tous en même temps je vous souhaites de l'amour, des amis(es) et du travail qui vous enrichi. Je ne vous souhaite pas le bonheur qu'on trouve embouteillé ou la paix fabriqué d'un poste de facebook. Au lieu je vous souhaites la joie d'une bonne décision et d'une bonne action. Je vous souhaites le sommeil paisible qui vient en sachant d'avoir fait de son mieux cette journée. Pour ma part, je planifie un peu de recherche sur moi-même et je demande le courage d'accepter ce que je trouve.<br /><br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-73171048716712404202017-03-02T12:07:00.001-08:002017-03-02T12:07:52.753-08:00Bienvenue Spring!I've been incognito for a couple of months and I blame winter. This is my fallow season where going outside, somewhere, is usually more trouble than it's worth. That feeling is reflected in many aspects of my life and online is part of it. The winter is almost over and I feel energy and purpose coming back into my bones.<br />
Since I missed the last few challenges I combined them into one piece. December's PCAGOE challenge was "outdoor pieces" and February's challenge is "houses" so I built a bird house that will hang outside the door to my home. I wanted something that would hang flat up against the wall and I wanted to work on the polymer clay's ability to mimic other materials.<br />
Using a "brick" painted wood canvas, I built a bird house from "metal sheet with rivets" and "metal roofing". I am inspired by artists who build bird houses from leftover materials. I attached the word "Bienvenue" because I love company and I want my guests to feel welcomed. I debated whether to leave out the bird. It could have welcomed a swallow or a robin. But then I thought of the impracticality of having a bird nesting so close to my entrance and decided to build my own bird.<br />
I'd love to hear about your "fallow" time and if you lay low for a while too. I am so glad that winter is on its last legs and am eagerly awaiting the swallows and the robins. <br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-58071313576783656342017-01-03T10:30:00.001-08:002017-01-03T10:30:48.576-08:00Salute to IroncraftThis is the last Ironcraft challenge that will be thrown for quite a while. I want to thank Kat for all the organizing, the choosing of themes and for being an inspiration to me. I've enjoyed the challenges and learned so much from them. I wish Kat the best in her new ventures and hope that our paths will cross again some time. Like they say, I'll see you down the road.<br />
For this last challenge, I choose to show these little salt shakers turned soap dispensers. In our home, we don't have Christmas stocking. Instead, we have a New Year's Bag. In the past when the children were small, the sheer volume of gifts would eclipse anything you could put in a stocking so we decided to postpone it to New Year's day and put them into bags. Mostly filled with chocolate and toys, the kids looked forward to opening them every year. This year's bags are still filled with goodies and items that they will need like soap, underarm and the like. I found these Norwex face cloths that take away makeup without soap or harsh creams. The soap that is included is to wash the cloth after you are done. You put it in a shaker so as to get a very small amount of the soap and that will do the job. My daughter goes through many makeup wipes in a month and the cost of the cloths was about what I spend in a month so I figured I couldn't lose. I made a bag for my son's girlfriend too and she got one too.<br />
I covered the shaker with their favorite colors of polymer and it can be something that will save them money, will be better on their face and that they can keep for a long time. The Norwex products are wonderful and long lasting.<br />
So, here it is. I wish all my fellow Ironcrafters a wonderful new year and more crafting and challenges on down the road.<br />
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ps. The top of the shakers are covered in tape. I needed to put them in the New Year's Bag and I didn't want them to spill the soap.<br />
<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-9191553938886358282016-08-25T18:00:00.001-07:002016-08-25T18:00:42.099-07:00Riots Not DietsThis month the PCAGOE challenge is Owls. I love making birds and owls are often my subjects. After trolling the images on the internet, a few inspired this piece. Riots Not Diets is built on a wooden canvas and the rest is polymer clay. I had lots of fun making this. My "owl ladies" make me giggle. They sort of remind me of me and a couple friends. We love to sit and talk about how to fix the worlds' problems, usually with a glass of wine. No one else ever hears our bright ideas but we certainly think we are clever.<br />
I don't have names for them so if any of you are inspired to try naming them, I'm all ears.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-29546030419763872612016-08-15T12:09:00.000-07:002016-08-15T12:09:00.460-07:00H is for HopeOur challenge for Ironcraft was to make something inspired by the letter H. I decided to choose hope. I can use a little in my life and I'm sure most people as well. It is through hope that we stand up and face our daily challenges. This piece was inspired by a poster I saw on facebook. Can't really recall which ones of my friends posted it but it stuck and I wanted to make something that reflected it.<br />
Now, I apologize if I'm infringing on someones intellectual rights and I will take it down if I'm asked to. I didn't come up with the phrase. In the meantime though, I wish that the message reaches as many people as possible. Along with the hope, we could all use a little peace.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-70696574652826035392016-07-25T12:31:00.001-07:002016-07-25T12:31:21.965-07:00Ocean FindsThis PCAGOE is about the ocean. I haven't laid on the ocean in a few years and have to make due with rivers and lakes. I still get out close to the water as often as I can and go through the sand to find little treasures. I made this brooch with beads that are ocean or water related. There are those shell beads that have been dyed pink, the polished rocks, the granite, the marble and the sea glass. Those have been encrusted into pink clay which in turn wrapped in more clay.<br />
I love all the pinks and imagine it washing up on shore, remnants of long gone head wear lost at sea. On the ocean floor a queen's crown is missing its biggest jewel. I like imagining stories like these for some of the things that I make or that I find. Where would you situate this brooch?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-91265968134789144712016-07-05T08:57:00.000-07:002016-07-05T08:57:30.660-07:00Beach Star!This Ironcraft challenge is a fitting Stars and Stripes for July 4th. Being Canadian and celebrating our own independence a few days ago I decided to move from the obvious flag theme to a more broad definition of stars and stripes. I've been going to the beach a lot and not being near an ocean the wildlife in the river floating to shore is not always the most exciting. So I decided to add my own wildlife.<br />
The painting is an exercise in shading of the skies and the water and the sand. I see stripes that blend into each other so in a very round about way, this fits the theme. lol<br />
I also have a bigger goal with the exercise because my next challenge will be to apply a beach theme to polymer clay. This is the warm-up. I have lot of fun painting this and am not very good at it but I think that my idea comes across. The starfish is making stripes in the sand.<br />
I'd love to hear comments on whether you saw that before I told you or only after. Be kind but be honest.<br />
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Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-24018324637228587632016-06-25T05:58:00.001-07:002016-06-25T05:58:58.643-07:00Music is the Language of LoveThis month's PCAGOE challenge is music and that gives us so many possibilities for interpretation. I have focused on wall art for 2016 and I decided to make a piece on a wooden canvas. It is primarily polymer clay except for the canvas.<br />
This time of year my yard is filled with birds of every color doing their thing. They sing beautiful music to each other in the name of love. I chose the gold finch which is common bird in this area. They come up north to sing their hearts away to entice the female to breed. They love to thistle and milk weed which is something we have plenty of. <br />
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.Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-36515978328312887792016-06-07T04:57:00.000-07:002016-06-07T04:57:22.045-07:00Ironcraft Wants Memories.This challenge is about memories. I chose to show a latest wall piece that was inspired by the view I had from my kitchen window when I first moved into my present home, 15 years ago. Living in a small village means that from anywhere you can see the church. Our church had squatters when we moved in to the neighborhood. A couple of black crows had a huge nest on one of the ledges. The nest was at least 4' x 4'. The couple lived there for about 8 years before they disappeared. I watched them grow and have babies. You could see them teaching their young ones to fly and hunt. It was pretty amazing. In that last year, the crows have become very big, standing about 2 1/2 ' high.<br />
Crows are sometimes seen as creepy and scary and I admit to being a little nervous when I would see them in my backyard. But after seeing them daily and watching them live and raise their young for so long, they had become the village mascots.<br />
This piece is polymer clay on a wooden canvas. I had fun making this one. The kids got creeped out. They don't remember the crows like I do, they were doing growing of their own. <br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-40135229723039034972016-05-25T12:07:00.001-07:002016-05-25T12:07:32.068-07:00Caricature in PolymerThis month's PCAGOE challenge is Quilling. I had never done any of it so this was a challenge for sure. Once I got started, I didn't want to stop. I love it, I love the results you can get and you can be sure that quilling will be in other pieces I make. My favorite of the 3 that I made before time ran out is this one. It was inspired a ceramic artist named Anastasaki https://www.facebook.com/anastasaki.gr/. I love the work. The one that caught my eye was a portrait of a 20's couple. The way bold lines are used to define the features just seemed to be made for the quilling I had in mind.<br />
I used my husband and I as the subject matter, adding the purple hair for me. I had purple hair last summer and I miss it terribly so I figured I could at least immortalize it in a piece. It is built on a wooden canvas. I am sure it will be the conversation starter for some time to come.<br />
Have you ever taken something up, that you never thought of before, and just made it work, right away? Like it was waiting for you all this time. I'd love to hear about it.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-88031442169656258902016-05-24T12:10:00.000-07:002016-05-24T12:10:02.792-07:00Ironcraft Calls for Summer.I haven't posted for an Ironcraft challenge in a long time. I have been keeping up, just not with my own photos and such. This time I made the effort to do it on time. The theme is wonderful and in our neck of the woods, summer is just starting to feel like it's here.<br />
I chose to finish a piece I had started some time ago but it still counts because I did transform it from its raw state into a finished piece. For those who don't know the rules, every Ironcraft entry has to be made between the time the host announces it and the due date. Can't use up stuff you already had.<br />
My piece was inspired by a vacation to the ocean a friend told me about. She was reminiscing about sitting in her hotel room with a glass of wine watching the waves. A vivid image popped into my head and I wanted to try to make it out of polymer clay. It is built on hard canvas. I painted the background and the rest is all polymer. The curtains are polymerized tissue paper. I particularly like those turned out.<br />
I don't know about you but I'm ready for some summer and if I'm lucky this year, I'll be able to go to the ocean and watch my own waves. In the meantime, I have this piece on my wall. I can always pretend it's a window. lol<br />
If you'd like to share your vacation plans with me I'm all ears. If you ever have been inspired to produce something that reminded you of a real or imagined vacation, I'd love to hear about that too.<br />
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Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-21247179726410623922016-05-15T12:51:00.000-07:002016-05-15T12:51:04.836-07:00We Were All Girls Once, 2016I finally got all my ducks in row and made the donation choices with the money raised during the Morrisburg Polymer Clay Gathering 2016. http://plancanada.ca/because-i-am-a-girl is our fundraiser of choice and each year we manage to raise the bar just a little higher. This year was no exception. We were about 25 people in all and we raised 1200$ through our silent and live auctions. We received some extra donations as well. Now, hear a drum roll as I get you ready to find out how much our 1200$ bought in matched donations. For those who are not aware, the Plan Canada site has a system of matched donations. What you put in is matched by various companies in order to maximize the benefits. So, our money bought a total of 7,145$ spread out through various items. We bought some books, some farm animals distributed to communities, seeds and tools to ensure the recipients can grow their own food. We bought the supplies necessary for literacy training for girls, some tools and supplies for a Mom shop which teaches women to create with their hands and provide for themselves and their families.<br />
My most heart wrenching item is buying someone a birth certificate. We take our own for granted, never really wondering what life would be like without it. But without a birth certificate you do not really exist. You cannot go to school, or get any identification. It breaks my heart that a person should be denied anything on account of something so basic. So, ladies of Morrisburg, I salute you! Thank you so much for your generosity and to all those who donated the goods we all got to bid on. Thank you for coming along with me on this mission of helping girls around the world have a better life. These efforts may seem like they are easy, no big deal, but maybe, through our efforts some girl will be able to go to school and have books waiting there for her when she gets there. I'm sure whoever she is, she'll take it from there.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-66069275380877020582016-04-28T10:26:00.001-07:002016-04-28T10:26:19.266-07:00Downton Inspired!I wanted to show off my Downton Inspired Hat Ladies. I made them for our Morrisburg Polymer Clay Gathering and I thought they turned out very well. The impetus for these ladies was to develop a demo using the Fimo Sculpting Clay that was sent to us for our retreat. Fimo graciously sent us each a starter pack with mold and I wanted to show off what you could make with them. I made a couple of other sculptures with the kit but these ladies were closest to my heart.<br />
These ladies became very precious to me and I gave some away to people in the workshop. I kept a couple though. Have you ever had a project that when complete it became very hard to part with?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-44346300004176176412016-04-25T12:32:00.001-07:002016-04-25T12:32:43.675-07:00The World in her Hands.This month's challenge for PCAGOE is about negative space. I coupled this piece to coincide with our annual Morrisburg Polymer Clay Gathering fundraising auction. Since our recipient cause is http://plancanada.ca/because-i-am-a-girl I chose to do something inspired by that theme.<br />
This cause is very close to my heart. I am so fortunate to live in a country that gives girls and women opportunities to education, to careers, health care and justice. Even if we have fought for those rights and that we still have a long way to go to full equality, we as women, have a relative freedom other women in the world only dream about. Like it is our duty to keep working at equity and equality it is also our duty to work at making all girls and women as free as we are. <br />
"World in Her Hands" is about recognizing that the state of our planet is in our hands. It is also about knowing that by taking care of our children, our girls, we can then feel certain that it will be one of those girls, or many of those girls, who will build a better place for us and them in the future.<br />
We just finished another wonderful year in Morrisburg and the fundraising auction has raised the most money yet. I don't have the final numbers yet so stay tuned for another blog post about that.<br />
This piece is also part of my 2016 focus of Wall Art. It is made on a wooden canvas and is all clay. I sculpted the hand and the globe. I cut out the globe to make the "negative space". Someone took the piece home with them and they also take with them a piece of my heart and my many thanks for the support.<br />
Do any of you have favorite charities that tug at their heart strings? Let me know and if you are so inclined, the above mentioned charity is always needing more funds.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-55199006330249182312016-03-25T06:15:00.001-07:002016-03-25T06:15:57.137-07:00It's Flower Power!This month's PCAGOE challenge is Flowers. I'm not much into the flowery type of things. I love my flowers real and in my garden. However, I was inspired to bring a little of the garden that is about to pop up outside my window. We still have snow but the hyacinths are peeking through and that makes me happy. My favorite flower is the tulip. I like the shape and after having visited the Butchard Gardens in Victoria BC in May, I fell completely in love with all the variations possible.<br />
I've been working on wall art this year so I chose to make a tulip as a wall piece. And I must admit that the idea in my head is very close to what I actually produced. I really like this piece. I could pretend that my pieces always turn out the way I plan but that would not be true. Mostly, I propose an idea and my hands and the clay have other ideas. I'm usually happy with what I make but it's rarely like my original idea. This time is different.<br />
My Spring Tulip is built on a wood frame and covered with marbled greens. I then sculpted the flower on top. Let me know what you think. Do your pieces usually end up the way you first envision them? Or does the clay or the painting have a mind of its own?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-34730559590969753572016-03-01T15:49:00.001-08:002016-03-01T15:49:42.393-08:00What is in my Kitchen?This Ironcraft challenge was simply the kitchen. It could be anything for the kitchen, found in a kitchen, made in a kitchen. Well, I use my kitchen toaster oven for baking clay all the time so I'll just show you what I made up this week. Now, every once in a while I come up with a new product to offer at the artisans shows I do during the year. This year I am offering this new crochet tool that is just wonderful. I sell individual crochet hooks, hooks in sets from 2 to 22. This set is actually just one handle with 8 different size hooks that are interchangeable. How amazing is that? When I first stumbled on that set I knew I had to add that to my inventory. I know they won't stay in inventory for long and will hopefully be able to replenish on a regular basis.<br />
With the size starting at 3 going up to 7, these 8 hooks are probably all you'll ever need. Of course, I've been thinking about crocheting with the selvage edges off my quilting fabric so maybe I'll need a bigger hook for that. What projects can you imagine with your crochet hooks?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-51301648390050130152016-02-24T12:49:00.001-08:002016-02-24T12:49:31.330-08:00A Woman Can Never Have Too Many RingsThe PCAGOE challenge for this month is 'rings'. So, I set out to make the most beautiful ring ever. After many attempts I realize that my imagination far outdoes my talents. I had a lot of fun making the various kinds of rings I came up with. I made some entirely out of clay while others have a metal base more familiar to us. I sculpted some. Then I sculpted more. It is very addictive really.<br />
I can't really say that any of them are 'the most beautiful ring ever'. I'm just glad for what I learned and I lift my hat to those who make exquisite pieces of Art starting with the same materials that I have. I think it would make a great focus for a series exercise. Someone has already done a Ring a week or a Ring a Day. I leave that for others right now.<br />
I do, of course, have a favorite, well maybe, favorites. In the end a girl has got to choose and I go for the art deco-ish and bright colors. Which one of the 14 is your favorite? Or have you ever started making a project and found yourself unable to stop?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-23042590074006351832016-02-16T10:41:00.000-08:002016-02-16T10:41:10.555-08:00Gingham Glory!Ironcraft threw out the challenge of the letter "G". I immediately went for gingham. I love that pattern and fabric. I owned a pair of stretch turquoise and white gingham pants and I loved them to death. Literally, I wore them until the fabric just let go. I thought I looked so smart in them.<br />
I chose some gingham fabrics from my stash and put a couple of goals into the same project. I had a book that teaches 'quilt-as-you-go' techniques and I decided to make a center piece for my kitchen table from the gingham fabrics I found using the techniques in the book. My kitchen is mustard with white trim and my fabrics look awesome in there.<br />
As always I learn many lessons during these challenges. Mostly I learned that try as I might, I am not very good at getting the same results described in the books. I was to have blocks that measured 12". I needed 9 of them. I followed the steps and still, none of my blocks ended up to be the right size. I squared them all off to 11" in the end. For this project, it isn't the end of the world and I've come to the conclusion that if I'm using this technique I will be better off starting with a larger block to I can square it off to the desired size. This technique, though, does permit me to make a larger finished quilt than the regular way. I also like the look of the piecing of the blocks. I'm going to stick to this technique for a while I think. Of course, the next book might teach me something else I will equally like. At least I hope so. It's always nice to learn new things and to accept new challenges. Keeps the brain and the spirit young.<br />
I'd love to hear what you do to keep your brain and spirit young? What challenges you like to set for yourself?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-50657716933496462852016-02-02T13:28:00.001-08:002016-02-02T13:28:18.140-08:00Ironcraft in Love!This theme for the Ironcraft Challenge this time was hearts and flowers. During this time of gushing love expressions, I tend to try understating the sentiment. I believe that less is more. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for showing love and sentiments of kindness. I prefer the ones that are subtle and not too showy.<br />
In keeping with the quilting theme I've been on, I appliqued two cups of tea on a table. I enjoy having the time to have a cup of coffee or tea with conversation with my loved ones. It's not the type of coffee or tea (although that can make a difference) or the type of cup, it's the time that I long for. Time for letting the world go by without you. Time to just catch up, be it on daily news or a some life-altering revelation. I love having time to talk and nowhere to go. My piece is all about that. I chose to make the cups different to show that the drinkers were not the same. The more manly mug and the dainty cup suggest that this<br />
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could be a couple on a Sunday morning. The hearts above the cups are the steam rising from the delicious brew.<br />
What is your favorite way of taking moments with your loved ones? Have you a ritual that you like to do? I'd love to hear about it.Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-9441378875458169532016-01-25T08:57:00.001-08:002016-01-25T08:57:40.558-08:00The 4 SeasonsThis month's PCAGOE challenge is entitled The 4 Seasons. We were to interpret that in any way we wished as long as the all 4 seasons were represented. I've always admired the paintings of trees with the changing seasons so I chose that as my starting point.<br />
I have chosen a focus for 2016. I plan to make a wall piece a week for the 52 weeks to come. They will be of various sizes and backgrounds but will have more polymer clay than other medias in them. If any of you remember my year of bowls, where I made at least one bowl a week, you may remember that I thoroughly enjoyed that endeavor learning so much about the clay. I hope to enjoy this "form" focus just as much.<br />
Using a flat canvas, bought at Michaels, I started by putting a wash of blue mixed with white glue for the background. I marked the area that would have the different seasons. I drew the tree onto the clay using a mg cane I had that looked like tree bark (of sorts). The tree is the same in all the seasons and I made little simple scenes of each season for each section. The clay was adhered with my tls formula. I then cut out the center to add a globe. After all, all the seasons follow earth's calling. Surely, my representation of seasons portrays my neck of the woods. It would an amazing study to do different parts of the world. That is a project for another day for sure.<br />
I've already learned one lesson although I'm not sure that my conclusions are right. The globe "lifted" in the center. It cracked a little. The funny thing is that the canvas remained attached to the clay so the canvas is rounded where the globe is. I'm not sure if you can notice it in the photo.<br />
I could always say that I meant to do that but I would rather take the chance that someone would know how it happened. It would be more fun to know so I could reproduce it at will. I welcome any and all theories on the matter.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-22015637605440709942016-01-19T12:20:00.000-08:002016-01-19T12:20:24.631-08:00Ironcraft Celebrates 5 YearsIn this part of the world, winter arrived late but it is here with a vengeance. As much as I'd like to tell you I love winter and all its activities I can't. I spend most of the winter months indoors dreaming of warm breezes and flowers and all their colors. For the first Ironcraft challenge, we were asked to do something in either wood, silverware or daisies as they are the traditional gift for a 5th anniversary. Ironcraft is celebrating its 5th anniversary. Congratulations, Kat! Well done!<br />
I opted for daisies because I love them as a flower and they are within my reach in my applique skills. So I made a striped background onto a "rolling hills" design and then appliqued the daisies on them. I made some buttons for the centers. It looks cute. Making it into a bucket bag was also a challenge as I realize that my corner work needs a little practice.<br />
What are your favorite things or shapes to applique? I love doing hearts too but sometimes have a hard time with the rounded angles.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-57044409716564468072015-12-24T10:13:00.002-08:002015-12-24T10:37:07.317-08:00The Value of ColorThis PCAGOE Challenge is called 50 shades of grey. Of course it's a play on words on the infamous book but what we were to study is the value of the scale from white to black. We could make something from black to white or use another color and turn the photo into a black and white one. I made both a black to white piece and a color piece. For the challenge I chose the color photo turned to black and white because I liked it better as a photo. I made a Xmas ball for my tree which is blue, white and silver. It looks great in the tree and the photo turned out really well in black and white.<br />
The black and white piece is a bell for the tree. It is fine but it does not match my tree and the photo did not show off the value study that it is. Here is a photo of the bell. You can let me know what you think. Any suggestions on how to make it work would be appreciated.<br />
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The following photo is the Xmas ball in color on my tree. It looks great with all the other decorations.<br />
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This last photo is my challenge photo. I love the way it turned out. It definitely has a long ago newspaper feel and I think the value of the black to white shows up well. Of course, any and all suggestions are appreciated.<br />
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So, another year of challenges is met and I always learn so much from them and my fellow challenge participants. I look forward to another year of challenges, both from clay and life. I wish everyone the peace of the season along with all the goodies and laughter it can bring. I pray that everyone can be filled with the wonder of life and that everyone stay safe for the wonders to come. Happy <br />
Christmas and a wonderful new year!<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-42165100022760503592015-11-10T13:32:00.001-08:002015-11-10T13:32:20.087-08:00Fall is Falling!This Ironcraft challenge was to create something for fall the title is what struck me the most. I think it's quite clever. I chose to continue my quest of becoming a quilter with a little exercise quilt. I saw one made of triangles and thought it was intriguing so I picked this one for the challenge. My idea was to create movement in the piece so I placed the triangles at different angles making them look like they are "falling".<br />
It was quite a challenge for the triangles in the squares. I kept running out of fabric on one side of the triangles and had too much on the others. I still turned out kind of cool. When I look at it, my eye keeps moving from one triangle to the next which is what I wanted to accomplish. Of course, that's me. It's like reading your own short story, you can think it's brilliant but no one else gets it unless you explain it. I'd love comments and opinions. <br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-55909128707106995762015-10-23T14:26:00.001-07:002015-10-23T14:39:28.710-07:00It's Personal.This month's PCAGOE challenge was to make a personal accessory. I wanted to make something that I don't usually make, something for myself. I have, over the summer months, discovered the benefits of essential oils. I am using them more and more and thought it would be cool to bring them with me wherever I went. I don't want to lug around the bottles. I thought if I could put the oils in something that would be easy to take with me. Then it hit me. What is easier to take with you than a pendant you wear around your neck.<br />
So I set out on a little research and lo and behold I wasn't the first one to think of this. They have different names for them and the absorbing part of the pendant is different depending on who makes them. I decided to make mine from a piece of terracotta. It's quite absorbent. I took a hammer to one of my old pots and broke it into pieces I could use for a pendant. I chose some faux turquoise because I love the combination of colors, very southwestern. I sandwiched the piece of terracotta in between layers of turquoise, leaving an area to take the oils. It works great! I chose orange essential oil for my trial. I find it gives me energy and clears my mind. I love lavender as well so I might make another for that one. Here is a photo of my new pendant. I like wearing it, gives me focus. What is your favorite essential oil?<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133321090500201078.post-11985898530442912522015-10-13T08:25:00.002-07:002015-10-13T08:25:33.321-07:00Corpse BrideHalloween is coming! I love Halloween, I always have. I've had the best parties and the best laughs at Halloween. So when Ironcraft gave us a Halloween challenge I was thrilled. I've been making nightlights often lately so this was a great chance to make another. She is inspired by the rendition of Clarissa Pinkola Estes of the story of the Corpse Bride. I don't how many versions of this story are out there. Clarissa's http://aimeecwillis.wix.com/edwebxtracopy2#!__lesson-1-corpse-bride-story is my favorite by far. The story starts out with a groom-to-be who does something kind of stupid and can't get out of. The story ends with a great lesson of the capability of women for compassion. It is a both funny and touching story.<br />
I used a paper mache armature and covered it with polymer clay then sculpted the flowered veil. I enjoyed making this so much. I was at a friend's house with other polymer clay artists and we chatted and created for many hours. It was bliss.<br />
The photo does not do it justice. My skills at taking photos like this need much improvement but I think you get the idea. Halloween means different things to different people but we all have a favorite treat or story that accompanies this day. What is yours? I'd love to know.<br />
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<br />Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14247833121923725462noreply@blogger.com4